Grand Lodge History (1940 – 1960)

1940 – 1960

The war effort at home was necessarily different. In February 1941, H.R.H. Grand Duchess Charlotte attended a reception in Chicago, at which time she appealed for world peace. An American Committee for Luxembourg Relief was started to provide food, shelter, and clothing to Luxembourg refugees in Europe.

The Grand Duchess Relief Fund consisted of the following officers:

President	Fred A. Gilson
Secretary	Leo Eschette
Vice Chairman	Harry Trausch
Treasurer	N. J. Molitor
Director	Michael M. Leider
Director	Melchior Weides
Director	Mrs. Anna Geden

The American Committee for Luxembourg Relief, Inc., in Chicago, collected $17,000.00 over a two-and-a-half-year period.

            Two other events in which the L.B.A. participated were the Pageant of Nations, a war-bond drive in Chicago that was sponsored by the U.S. Treasury Department, and the Freedom Fair. Luxembourg, with 1/40 of the total population represented in the combined drives, nonetheless sold over 1/16 of all the bonds ~ nearly $150,000.00.

            The “Freedom Fair” was a relief drive for the Allied Nations held in Chicago. The L.B.A. collected $1,300.00 for the drive.

The end of World War II was joyful for all. The Luxembourg Government in exile returned home to a grateful nation and the L.B.A. settled into a new era. In 1943, Fred Gilson retired as Grand President and was succeeded by Perry Daubenfeld. Unfortunately, Perry was stricken with a heart attack in January 1945 and died. He was succeeded by Harry Trausch, the last of the L.B.A. Grand Presidents to have emigrated from Luxembourg.

In 1949, at the convention held in Remsen, Iowa, Harry chose not to succeed himself as Grand President and was succeeded by Leo Eschette of Section 3. In addition, Nicholas Nilles retired from the post of Grand Secretary, to which post he had been first elected in 1899. During Leos’ reign as Grand President, which lasted until 1965, several significant events occurred.

Otto Deckert, a member of Section 15, owned Deckert’s Hall, located at 6211 Lincoln Avenue, Morton Grove, Illinois. Circa 1953, Otto died and his family placed the restaurant and grounds for sale. The Grand Lodge began negotiations in early 1953 and on January 1, 1954, the Grand Lodge took possession of the premises. After extensive renovations, in which the individual Sections donated money and specific items of furniture and equipment, the “Luxembourg Gardens” was opened on May 19, 1954.

To operate the Gardens, a corporation was formed, and stock would be sold to the sections and individuals of the L.B.A. This was accomplished, and the first meeting place owned and operated, for the benefit of the Luxembourg community of greater Chicago, was opened.

The sections held their monthly meetings at the Gardens. Section 3’s Schobermesse was held in the grove area and Section 15’s Sauerbraten was held in the large hall behind the restaurant. New Year’s Eve parties were held at the Gardens, as well as St. Valentine’s Dances, Halloween parties, and Turkey raffles. The Gardens continued to be the focal point for area activities of Luxembourgers. as well as the L.B.A. until it closed in 1969.